Wednesday, June 22, 2011

‘Khir took a RM3mil loan’

Former Selangor men­tri besar Dr Mohd Khir Toyo took a RM3mil bank loan to finance the purchase of two plots of land and a bungalow in Section 7 here, the High Court heard.

The loan was approved in May, 2007, said HSBC bank officer Chuah Yew Tean, 35, adding that the bank, through international property investment consultant Rahim & Co, made a valuation of RM3.5mil of the said properties.

Chuah, who was then the bank’s premier centre manager, told Justice Mohtarudin Baki that a senior manager referred him to assist a premier customer who wanted to purchase some properties.

He was informed that the customer was the Selangor Mentri Besar.

He then made a phone call to Dr Khir regarding the loan and the Sungai Panjang assemblyman told him that the purchase price of the properties were about RM3mil to RM3.5mil.

In explaining the bank’s term of “premier customers”, Chuah said a “premier customer” is a customer who has at least RM200,000 in a fixed deposit account at the bank.

Chuah was answering questions in an examination-in-chief by Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar on the eighth day of the corruption trial of Dr Khir, 45.

Dr Khir is charged with knowingly obtaining for himself and his wife Zahrah Kechik, two plots of land and a house in Lots 8 and 10,Jalan Suasa 7/1L here from Ditamas Sdn Bhd, through its director Shamsuddin, for RM3.5mil, which was much lower than the original price.

Ditamas had bought the lots on Dec 23, 2004, for RM6.5mil.

The offence was allegedly committed at the Mentri Besar’s official residence on May 29, 2007.

The court also heard a testimony from design consultant Nooriz­wandy Rajab, 33, who was appointed by freelance landscaper Nasir Ismail to become a project manager for the renovation work at the bungalow.

Noorizwandy, who earned RM5,000 monthly from the project, said:

“I drew the plan myself.

“It was a proposal to demolish and rebuild a double-storey bungalow.”

Source : The Star

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